Vending machine



" May 28, 1935. R. D. PARKS ET AL 2,002,753

w VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. '7, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l Y N 05517 Z7. Park-5 AVE/70% 159/05/727/ 5/70 May 28, 1935. R. D. PARKS ET AL 2,002,753

' VE-NDING MACHINE Filed Feb. '1, 1931" '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 u u n MIMI-gay] 7 I May 28, 1935.

D. PARKS ET AL 2;Q02,753

VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 7, 1951 4 Shets-Shee 3 A m-z 12 25% Maw, 2902.4,

IMA/ y 1935- I ,R. D. PARKS EIIAL 2,002,753.

- VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 7, 1951 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ing means associated therewith;

Patented May '28 1935 VENDING MACHINE Robert D. Parks and Glenn w. Hildenbrand, -Lohrville, Iowa, assignors to National Vending Company, Burnside, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application February 7, 1931, Serial No. 514,091

" 7 Claims. (01. 194-1) This invention relates to. coin or token controlled vending machines, and more particularly tomaohinesior' vending bottled goods of the beverage variety. f

One object of our invention is to provide a vending machine which is actuated by an electric motor. v a

' Another object of our invention is to provide themachine with means for automatically selecting and storing a certain proportion of the coins insertedinto the machine to operate it as a rentalncharge for'the use of the machine.

' A further object of our invention is to provide the coin sorting or selecting mechanism in connectionwith the coin chuteof the machine and have'the parts so made and arranged that one coin out of a predetermined number as deposited in the machine will'be selected for the rental chargep further objectof our invention is to have the coin in its'passage through the coin chute operate a trip member to throw a switch for the motor: andthus cause the latter to be operated in the proper timed relation with the passage .of the coin'throughthe machine. w

' Other and further objects of our invention will" appear from the following specification taken in connection with" the accompanying drawings showing a vending machine embodying the features of our invention and, in which drawings:--

Fig. -l is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 3 to show the storage rack for the filled bottles and thebottle eject- Fig'. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line3 3 of Fig. 1; V

i Fig. 3-'is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 or Fig. 2 to illustrate the coin chute and associated parts of the machine;

'-Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the action of washer ejector for the coin chute;

Fig.5 is an elevationalview of'a portion of the percentage wheel to be hereinafter described; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the indirect line 1-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the percentage wheel'and the assothe 'ciated' chutes to be hereinafter described;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the upper section of the coin chute on line 99 of Fig. 3;

-: *Fig. 9 is a similar sectional view through the next or intermediate section of the coin chute on line- Ill-Ill of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 illustrates the washer ejector and is taken online li-Il of Fig. 3;'

As shown in Fig. 1, the outer casing of the machine has an upper-part l and 'a lower or base part 2. The upper part I is preferably made in the form of a gigantic bottle having the. representation of a crimped cap at its upper end.

The base 2 is generally rectangular in form and is equipped on its lower side with casters or rollers to provide a movable support for the machine. The outer casing I providesa housing for the filled bottles or other articles to be dispensed by the machine, while the base 2'provides a'housing for the major portion of the operating mech anism for the machine and the empty bottles as they are returned to the machine.

As shown in Figure 2, the upper part I has an inner casing providing a compartment in'which is located the storage means in the form of a rack for the filled bottles or other articles tobe dispensed from the machine. The space be-'- tween the inner and outer casings I and 5 is filled with a suitable heat insulating packing 6, so that the filled bottles in the machine may be kept cool as required for the vending of beverages.

The storage rack is best illustrated in Fig. 1. The rack comprises a tier of sheet metal shelves 1, 1 arranged one above the other at a downward inclination and having their uppermost ends supported by brackets 8 provided on the adjacent wall of the inner casing 5.- The lower ends of the shelves are supported on horizontal cross members 9 which extendbetween upright channel members I0, I 0 on opposite sides of the shelves and secured to and depending from the top wall (not shown) of the compartment in which the rack'is located. Each shelf 1 is provided with upright side walls H, H to provide a trough to accommodate the filled bottles l2 which are laid on their sides in the respective'troughs with the bottoms of the bottles against the inside of one of the side walls and the necks of the bottles resting on and extendingacross the upper edge of the other side Wall, so that the bottles will be maintained in position for ready and easy rolling down the troughs for entering into a vertically disposed discharge passage l3 as shown.

v To control the discharge of the bottles on the several shelves into the passage l 3, a gate mechanism is provided at the lower or discharge end of each shelf. Each gate 'm'echanisrn includes a flat sheet metal plate ll substantially as long and as wideas the associated shelf 1 and slidably sup-1 ported on top of the bottom wall of the same, as

shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The lower end portion of the plate I4 is bent downward as at I 5 and extends toward the shelf therebelow to pro vide a stop for the row'of bottles on the lower shelf.

its lower end extending below the stop and its upper end extending toi therear'side of the stop througha slot or aperture lli, thereinyas shown in Fig. 3. The extreme. upper end of the strip is bent to provide a hooklike portion I 1 designed to engage over the rear edge of a tongue orprojection I8 provided on the bottom wall o f the associated shelf at its lower-pr -disoharge end-gas shown in Fig. 1. When the "stop I51 isiin position 'f closing the discharge end of the shelf therebelow; the hook ll of the strip J6 is held engaged with the rear side of the projection! by the'bottles in the passage l3 bearing against theouterside of the strip; As soon as the uppermost bottle in the passage frees the lower end of the strip, the pressure on the. strlpis relievedandthe strip springsout'ward to release its hook from thepr0- jection l8, whereupon the gate is vunlatchedand rtheubottles on theshelfby their weighton'; the

tQD imove itJDlJtWardacr Ss the passage 13 allow the bottles to, feed intothe same; as shown in Fig. 1. The, projection lfl is made rel-I 'l ming,ith follghthepassage ISnmay be readily een andthus enable the attendant as well as theoperatorpf the machine to determine'when it is empty and needs refilling,jor not. in .condi' forgperatiom'as the case may be. .1. ,To main-.

thin thewntents ofthe bottleseooled, the;ma-

chine is equipped with'a mechanical refrigerate in system; one coolingcoil 2010! which; is associated .with the discharge passage it! referably on-the front side of. the same, and visiblethrough the sigh Opening L9, as shown in the drawings. Asshown in Fig. 2 ,-,.the inner casing;5 of the ma-' chine along the front side of this passage'lii. is

solforrned, B55110 provide a suitable support for the bottles in thepassage whereby'they'are main tainedingthe properpositiontobe fedto thebote tiedischarge mechanism to be presently def ;'The coin chute for themachine, asshown in Fig. 3, comprises.inclinedsections2I, 22, land. The section 2| is the uppermost one and hasits outer end extending totheexterior of the ma-, chine throughthe outer'casing I, where it is'pro-g vided' with a coin receiving portion-24, as shown in Fig.,-3. v e

g The upper. section 2| is made inthe form of a rectangular tube, vertically; disposed, and inclined downwardly so that the coins or tokens will roll on edge down thesame. The section is completely closed, on one side-and has its: other side open, as by a slot 25,-of a width to prevent thecoins ortokens of the proper diameter from fallinglaterally outof the sectionon itsopen side. The machine shown in the drawings is designed to be operated by a dime, and such. coin will bridgethe slot 25 as it rolls down the section. A

A sheet metal strip I6 is vertically ar ranged on the outer side of the stop I5 and has similar coin or token will not bridge the slot, and by having the section curved outward, as

shown in Fig. 8, with the slot on the outer side of the curve, centrifugal force will cause the coin to roll along the, slotted side of the section and thus be in a position to pass out of the section through a notch 25 in the lower edgeof the slot at the end of the curve. -The"lower flange'fl of the slot is flaredoutward along the curve to the notch so as to insure a guidance of the smaller coin'or token *tur of the section and into a deflector 28, which directs the ejected article to a spurious coin or token receiving trough (not shown) arranged below the chute, and which trough leads to a suitab1eb ror container, inside of the machine.

"A permanent magnet 29 is employed with the upper section 2| at a point below its curved portion to retardany magnetic tokens inserted into thesection. The magnet causes such tokens to pass out of the section into the spurious coin or tokent'receiver through an elongated slot 30 in the -bottom;wall of the section as'shown in Fig. 3; 1

frcmthe edger-wise to flat-wise position. The deflector 3 Lis'in the form of a strip arrangedin' the section .22 above its bottom 'walltoprovide a pasoperate in aslot. 35,;in, the, bottom wall ofthe section, as shown in Figs; 3 and 4. I A non-perforated coin of the size and diameter to operate the machine will on striking the lowermost finger 0f the member 33 tilt it, in the direction shown'in I Fig.4: and cause the uppermost finger to liftand ,defiect such coin through an opening 36 arranged between the :deflector. strip 3|; and a. partition wall'31 locatedin the section inline with the defiectorstrip -asl shown. in Fig.3; The non-perforated coin when so-lifted through the opening 36. .will slide, 1 flatwise down. the upper side of partition 3;l1to the lowermost section 23;0f the chute assemblyinamanner to be presently described. A perforated washer will on striking the lowermost finger-of the ejector 33..tilt it downwardandcause the upper finger to enter the aper-.

ture in the washer, andrguide thewasher-into the passageway 38 between the bottom of the section andthe partition 31 whereathe washer will be deflected out of the section through aslot 38 in its side wall as shown in Fig. 3. The defiectorreferredtoisindicated by in Ii ig. 9. The-pivoted ejector iii!v iscarried bybracket 40 secured to an upright plate 4 l to whichisalsosecured the coin chute sections2| and 22. This plate is secured to one Of the uprightchannel members H! of the rack as'shownin-Fig. 3. r

-A gate member 42 is interposed betweenthe lower end of the section 22 and the upper end ,of thesection 23, as shown .in Fig.3. This gate member is pivoted at 43, and when extending upward therefrom is in; a; position to deflect coins discharged from the upperside of the partition 31 intothe upper end ofithesection 23, the latter being flared outward at 44 for this'purpose.

Whenthe gate member is in lowered position as shown in dotted lines in Fig.3, it closes the gap between the lower end of the section 22 and the zoom-15s iupperrenderot :as com returmchute liwhich extendsito the'outside tot'rthe maohinai'as shown in 231101316 inner end- 0f "this chute is. disposed tcm'recei v e ithefieoinslflatwise "from the sectional, an'dsis twisted Jbeyond i such point so :Ias to present theicoins in edge-wiseposition-outside, of the ma.- chin when theyrach the outer. end oftthe secltioni- The outer-end o'fthis section-is cut away a's 'showr'i'in l iga'3fl'so that the coins can be readily grasped 'for renioval fronr'the chute. I 1

The gate .42 is i inl the:dotted line position described when' th'e machine is empty, so that any proper coin ins'erted 'into theicoin chuteat its upper' end will be returned to the intended ope'rator'.= To move'the gate-' into'this position when the machine is'empty; I provide a gravity acting rii'emb'er ".46 arranged at one "side of the vertical discharge assage-:1 3 adjacent its lower end,"'as showrrin F'igsifiahdb: The member." is pivoted at its-upper 'nd to abracket 41 extending outfionfth'e adjacent upright channel memem-o 'of I the assage: 5 The member 46 operates through a suitable; opening inlth'e channel membbi'i-"and is engaged by-"the bottoms of the bottles 'as'they pass downth'e passage l3in the operation ofthe'machine. The'bottles maintain the member-'46 'in thefull line position shown in Fig. '6, and 'thus' disposes the mercoid switch member =48,' which-'is mounted on' a bracket arm 48 secured to the outer-"side of "the member 46, in position toclose-an electric circuit :to "a solenoid 50, mounted-in the base section' 21 of the machine, 'as shown in Fig-6. The current energizes the solenoid,- holding" its armature iiiits upwardly projected "position; and through the rod 5| and arin5Z maintains-the gate-in raised position'as shown? When' the last 'filled' bottle in the machine passes' the member 46 "the'latter is released andswings inward by gravity until arrested by the' stop 53 at its" lower end; and tilts the mercoid i'switch16'to' cut off the' current tothe solenoid 50, whereup'o'n the gate 42 by gravity swings into its lowermost position so that the coins; deposited in the machine will bereturned to the intended operator through the return chute. Inasmuch -thecurrent to the solenoid 50 is on as long as the machineis filledwith bottles. or in a con- 'dl'tion to operatej'thef solenoid "will heat and for that reasonis located out of the refrigerated comp'art'men't i of-the machine.

The' coin chute section 23 ispivotally mounted 'at'fits upper eneonwhesame fulcrum 43 as-proyidd' for the gate 42, so that said section may be swung back'and'forth as required in the operation "of the machine for -the' vending I of containers therefrom. -'The lowerend of the section 23 extends into the path of movement of a plurality of radial blades 54 on one side of a percentage Wheel 55,- whi'ch is mounted for'rotation .on a bracket'arm 56 (Fig-2) extending froma support-to be 'presently referred to.- In the par- 'ticular machine shown,- there are twenty-four blades onthe wheel-i55;*Theseibiades provide coin-receiving pockets or chambers, which in the rotation of the "wheel are'brought--oppcsite..-the

entrance end of"a*-co,in chute-51.. This ichute-is divided into two vertical passageways .58, 59; by

' an interposed partition 60, as clearly shown in 'Fig.i:7.' The upperend .of-the. chute is'as wideas the distance "between-the blades :54,..-which are spaced equal distancesapart about-the circumferenceof the wheel. .-Abarrier.58'. closes the end -portidnxof,..the. passage 58- onithe'outer sidei of the blades-54.; Theportioniof this passage below the -barrier. extends .inwardlbeneath'. the. blades,

there beingisufficieht space afforded vfor the :coins to pass under the barrier and into the passage .58. This occurs whena coin is allowed to pass "through the 'pockets asprovided by the blades.

All-of =thezspaces between the .blades 54 except one-are arranged to deliver coins into. the passageway 58. One space is provided with a curved wall'-'6l-, which.as shown inFigsLaS and '7, extends between the blades and provides a pocket 61* to retain a coinientering the same. With the barrier W t-closing the outer side of this pocket the-coin cannot pass out of the same until the wheel 55 is turned forward' to.bring the pocket 6| opposite'the open, end of the passage 59,

whereupon the coin will enter the same, and be carried to the collecting receptacle I50, as shown in Fig. 6.--' Thepassage 58 leads to a receptacle I19, as shown in this'figure." A defiector I5| is located between these'receptacles to insure that coins for one'do'not enter'the other.

P-roviding the' wheel 55 with twenty-four blades and-having aspace between two of the blades provided with the curved wa'1l6l every twentyfourth coin discharged into the-wheel in one rotation thereof-.will be. deflected into the coin'receptacle I50 in paymentof rent for the machine. The remaining coins will be deposited .in the receptacle H9 to which the lesseeofzthe machine has access for securing his profit from the articles vendedthereb'y. 1 Y

q 31A wire 52 is arranged-onthe-outer side of "the coin chute section 23, and has'itsupper end operable in registeringslotslisin the top and bottom walls, respectively. of the section '23. These slots extend lengthwise of the section, and are located adjacent the lower endof the same where the section ratchets over the upper edges of the blades 54in the rotation'ofthe wheel 55. TherodSZ is secured to the outer endiof an arm 64, the inner end of which is journalledon "a stud 65 extending outwardfrom one side of a supporting plate 65 secured :to one of the uprights I 0, as shown in Fig. 3. A mercoid switch element 661s mounted 'on the .undersideof this arm in suitable clips as shown, and the weight thus provided on the arm normally rocks it downward to maintain the upper end of the wire-62 -at'or adjacent the upper end of the slots 63, as shown in full lines in Fig.3. When the machine is not in operation; the lower. endof the section 23 rests against'a blade .54 ofthe whe'el'55 on the inner-side of the section; and. thusthe section is maintained in positionwith'the upper end of the rod 62 extending across the channel provided therein. A coin descending :this channel I will first contact-with the rod 62. The weight of the coin and the momentum in its travel down .thefchannel -23'will be. sufficient to move the rod 62 downward. to theflower end of the slots 63. This will rock' the arm 64 upwardisee dotted 'lines;-Fig. 3) and tilt thetswitch element 66 to close the circuit therethrough: to an electric motor P61 and solenoid Bil/both; of which are clearly shown inFig. 2. l

The. motor 6! is preferably located in the base section 2.0f the-machine, and is provided with a relatively short upright shaft section'69 geared to: the. armature. shaft of j the motor; A shaft her being associated with said chute and having circumferentially spaced pockets to receive the coins on leaving the chute, and means associated with one of said pockets for automatically selecting the coins entering the same as a rental charge for the machine.

3. In a vending machine of the character described, a coin chute, electrically actuated means for controlling the discharge of. articles from the machine, a switch for said means, an operator for theswitch and disposed to be actuated by the coins passing through the chute, a rotary member actuated by the first named means and having circumferentially spaced pockets to receive the coins on leaving the chute, a second chute associated with said member and having a pair of coin-ways therein, and co-operating means carried by the chute and the rotary member for one coin-way and one pocket, respectively, for closing one coin-way to all of the pockets except one.

4. In a vending machine of the character described, a coin actuated device for controlling the discharge of articles from the machine, a rotary member having circumferentially spaced pockets through which the coins pass in operating the machine, a chute associated with said member and having a pair of coin-ways therein, a barrier across one coin-way at said pockets, and means in one pocket to carry all coins entering the same past said barrier for entry into the other coimway.

5. In a vending machine of the character described, a coin chute having a pivoted section,

electrically actuated means for controlling the discharge of articles from the machine, a switch for said means, an operator for said switch and operated by the movement of a coin through said section for closing the switch, and means to receive the coins from the section and serving to swing the section to release the operator from the coin to open the switch.

6. In a vending machine of the character described, a coin chute having a pivoted section with an elongated slot therein, electrically actuated means for controlling the discharge of articles from the machine, a switch for said means, an operator for said switch extending into the section through said slot, said operator being normally at one end of the slot and movable by a coin in its passage through the section toward the other end of the slot to close the switch, and means to receive the coins from the section and serving to swing the section to release the coin from the operator to open the switch.

'7. In a vending machine of the character described, a coin controlled electrically actuated device for discharging articles from the machine, a coin chute for said device and having a pivoted section, a switch for said device, an operator for said switch, said operator extending into said section to be actuated by the coins passing therethrough to close the switch, and a rotary member having blades over which the section ratchets in the rotation of said member to release the operator from the coins to open the switch.

ROBERT D. PARKS. GLENN W. HILDENBRAND. 

